Thomas takes a long drag. “I’ll get him out of town before any of this starts. He’s so overemotional where she’s concerned. I should have trusted my instincts and gotten rid of her in Arizona. He’s always been weak, but I’ve protected him for too long. Maybe if she gets caught in a little cross fire it will toughen him up.”
I was so stupid.
“Yeah, but if he wouldn’t have screwed up, we’d still be waiting for the right time to make our move. We just bumped this takeover up a few years thanks to him.” Mateo crushes his cigarette out and scoots closer to Thomas. “And how do I know you won’t try to screw me over when the dust settles?”
Thomas laughs. “You don’t. But what I’m offering you is worth the risk. Am I right?”
“I won’t be so easy to get rid of,” Mateo says. They’re both smiling at each other but it’s the sick kind of smile that is just for show.
“I wouldn’t expect anything less.” Thomas waits a moment before continuing, “We’ll meet back here when it’s done and settle up. The door off the kitchen will be open. You can wait in there if you beat me back.”
“No problem.”
Even though I thought I was being so clever, I’ve just played right into his hands. We all have—me, Agent Hammond, Agent Williams.
They start talking about random sports stuff now like they’re just two guys shooting the shit. I crawl back to my room but leave the door open so I can hear if someone else comes or goes.
I yank the phone out of my back pocket and power it up, calling Catherine’s phone.
She answers on the third ring and I can tell I woke her up.
“Anna?”
“Yes. How’s Ethan?”
“He’s sleeping but he told me to wake him if you called. My uncle said the wound looked good and that whoever fixed him up did a really good job. He cleaned it really good and started him on some antibiotics but that was it. Ethan is refusing a pain pill, says he needs to be alert. With the concussion, he just needs to rest. He’s hell-bent on heading back to New Orleans this morning. Will told him the only way he would take him was if he got some sleep first. How are you? I’m worried sick about you. We all are.”
“I’m okay. I’m so sorry you’re in this mess, Catherine. I’ll make it up to you…when I can. I hate to wake him, but I really need to talk to Ethan. Can you get him up?”
“Sure. Hold on. Oh, and be safe, Anna. Don’t do anything stupid. Anything else, I guess I should say—leaving us was already pretty stupid!”
It’s quiet on the other end for a few seconds so I poke my head out of the room to make sure they’re still down there talking. I hear their faint murmurings so I slip back in my room.
“Anna,” Ethan says, his voice groggy from sleep.
“Oh God, Ethan. Are you okay?” I’m nearly busting with wanting to tell him what I’ve learned.
“Tired but better. Room isn’t spinning like it was yesterday. Did you get away? We can be on the road in ten minutes, Anna. Tell me where you are.”
“It’s so much worse than that. We’ve been played. I’ve been played. Mateo is here, outside talking to Thomas like they’re old friends. And he knows where you are. He told Thomas you’re at Dr. Alexander’s house in Baton Rouge. Is that Catherine’s uncle’s name?”
“Are you kidding me?” Ethan asks.
“No. He mentioned a tracker. I think we have something on us. And I think someone is watching the house.”
“I’ve been wondering why he only shot me in the arm if he took the contract to kill me.”
“Yeah, he wasn’t supposed to shoot you at all. He was supposed to find us and call Thomas. But he was pissed you kicked him in the head.”
“Oh, just wait. I’ll kick that son of a bitch until I bash his head in.”
“Ethan, I need you to promise me something. Don’t come back here. It isn’t safe. They are so far ahead of us, you’ll end up getting hurt. Take Teeny and run.”
“Hold on.” And then I hear a muffled sound and Ethan’s gone from the phone for a few seconds. “Sorry, trying to get dressed. That’s bullshit. I’ll be there in a couple of hours. I talked to Catherine’s uncle. He’s meeting a lawyer buddy of his at the police department here in Baton Rouge this morning and they are going to try to figure out what to do. The dude is smart when it comes to medicine but he’s scared shitless about getting involved with this.”
“If the guy watching the house sees this, he might go for Mom!”
“I’ll tell him the house is being watched. Truthfully, I think he’s looking for a way out of helping us. Do we have any idea if Agent Williams is on our side or theirs?”
